Material handling truck scoop with check and latch assembly



M y 23, 1950 R. L. ALLEN ETAL 2,508,482

MATERIAL HANDLING TRUCK SCOOP WITH CHECK AND LATCH ASSEMBLY 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 8, 1947 T oRriEY May 23, 1950 R ALLENMATERIAL HANDLING 'r ETAL 2,508,482 RUCK SCOOP WITH CHECK AND LATCHASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 23, 1950MATERIAL EANDLING TRUGK SCOGP WITH UHECK AND LATCH ASSEMBLY Robert L.Allen Greek, Mich,

and Charles L. Harbeck, Battle assignors to Allen Industrial Products,Incorporated, Battle Creek, Mich, a

corporation of Michigan Application September 8, 1947, Serial No 7725766v 11 Claims. 1

The present invention relates broadly to an apparatus having a memberwhich is pivotally mounted and releasable for controlled movement aboutsaid pivot, and in its specific phases it re lates to an apparatushaving a pivotally mounted hopper normally held in leading position by areleasable latch means, and when elevated and such latch is released thehopper is checked throughout its pivotal unloading movement Vehicleshaving hoppers which are pivotally mounted and adapted for lowering toload and elevating to unload, are in common use. Most of theseassemblies either have a complex track arrangement for guiding andtipping the hopper in its upper position to unload it, or else they havea latch which, when tripped, releases thehopper for free pivotalmovement to the end of its travel. The latter causes a noisy severe joltwhen the hopper reaches the end of its travel, a thing which not onlywears out the pivot bearings' of the hopper, but wracks the wholeassembly with resultant shortened life of same. It was a recognition ofthis problem, and the shortcomings of the current procedures, which ledto the discovery and development of the present invention.

Accomi-ingly .among the objects of the present iliiiven-tion is theprovision of an apparatus for cushioning 'a pivotally mounted loadablemember throughout its movement when released for unloading or the like.

, Another object to mount a fluid type cylinder, having coaxial trunnionbearings supported on the upper rear edge of a hopper or the like whichis pivotally mounted at its lower rear edge on a suitable carrier frame,said hopper pivot being substantially parallel to the axis of saidtrunnions, such cylinder being of the movement retarding constructionand having a piston and 'piston rod,- one end of the latter beingpivotally connected to said carrier frame so that the cylinder assemblywill retard and cushion the movement of the hopper when the latter isreleased and tilts on its pivots.

Another object is to provide a pivotally mounted hopper or the likewhich has a latch pivotally mounted on its upper rear edge with the hookend of said latch engaging a latch operating mechanism mounted on thecarrier rrame of the hopper supporting assembly. H

Another object is toprovidemeans for limitin; the unlatching movement ofthe latch,- so

that after unlatchlng, the latch will remain in A further object is toprovide a latch operating shaft mounted in o erable position on thecarrier frame of the hopper supporting assembly, the hook end or thelatch being adapted to engage the shaftand hook thereover" in mannerholding the hopper in loading position, said shaft carrying a camadjacent the latch and the latch carrying a roller adapted to becontacted by said cam so that when the shaft is rotated the cam willcontact the roller and disengage the latch hook from the latchoperating" shaft.

A further object is to provide the latch open ating shaft with aweighted depending arm so that the latch operating shaft and its camwill normally rest in a position permitting the latching of the hook endof the latch member over the latch operating shaft, said de ending armhaving means, such as a lanyard,- connected thereto to facilitaterotation of the shaft, when pivotal unloading movement.

A further object is to provide :a pivotally mounted. hopper or the likewith a latching means, and means for checkinp the pivotal move ment ofsaid hopper when 'unlatched, said apparatusbeing simple, easy toconstruct, efilcient in operation, long lived, and smooth opera-tingStill further objects and advantages of the present invention willappear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishmentof the foregoing; and related ends,- the invention,then, consists of the means hereinaiter fully describedand particularlypointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out theinvention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but several ofvarious ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawings:

Figure l is a top assembly view showing apreferred form of the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation View taken substantially at Z 2" ofFigure 1, looking in the direction of the-arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of the assembly illustratedin Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation view taken substantially at line 45 ofFigure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, and with bracket 44omitted, and-certain of the parts, including the 3 cam and trunnion,partially broken away for clarity of illustration.

Figure is a side view of a hydraulic cylinder assembly adapted foroptional use in the general assembly of Figure 1.

Referring more particularlyto the drawings: It will be noted that hopperI, Figure 2, is provided adjacent its lower rear edges with pivotbrackets 2 which are respectively carried on shoes 3 and 4 by means of asuitable pivot pin 5. Shoes 3 and 4 are rigidly fastened ,on a carrierframe 6 in conventional manner, such as by welding. This carrier frameinturn is mountable on a lift assembly 1, the details of which are notshown. This lift assembly, which may be part of a hoist type tractor orthe like (not shown) is usable in conventional manner for bodily liftingand lowering the hopper and its associated parts as required underconditions of use. The forward edge of the hopper is preferably providedin conventional manner with a hardened steel shoe 8 which may befastened to the hopper by means of rivets 9 or the like. To facilitateuse of the hopper, the leading edge of shoe 8 may be slightly tapered asshown.

' For rigidity in the mounting of hopper operating members, the upperback edge of the hopper is provided with a pair of angle irons Ill andH, Figure 4, which may be welded in place, and at the ends of theseangle irons are preferably mounted a pair of gusset plates l2 and I3,Figure 1', which may be welded-"to angle iron n as well as the sides ofhopper I to stiffen and strengthen the assembly.

Mounted on the upper face of angle irons I0 and II are a pair oftrunnion bearing brackets I4 and I5, Figure 3, which, respectively, havetrunnion bearing caps I6 and I! which may be held in place by means ofcap screws I8. These caps are preferably drilled and supplied with.grease fittings I9, Figure 2, which if desired may be of the Alemitetype. Cylinder assembly 20, Figure 3, has trunnions 2| and 22 mountedthereon in axial alignment and adapted to tightly but 'Iotatably fittrunnion bearing brackets I4 and I5.

Cylinder assembly 20, Figure 4, includes a cylin- Clef 23 which isclosed at one end with a cap 24 which may be anchored in place by meansof screws 25, and preferably includes a relief vent hole 26. The otherend of the cylinder is provided with a tight fitting plug 21, which inpreferred construction threadedly engages the end of cylinder 23. Thisplug in turn is provided with a packing gland assembly 28 through whichpiston rod 29 is adapted to slidably move in substantially fiuidtightmanner in accordance with standard practice. rod 29, Figure 3, ismounted a piston assembly 30. While this piston assembly:may-be ofvarious On the inner end of piston constructions, a simple one which hasbeen found to be very satisfactory, involves threading the end of pistonrod 29 and mounting thereon a pair of nuts 31 and 32 which bear againsta pair of washers 33 and 34 which are slightly smaller in diameter thanthe bore" of cylinder 23. Between these two washers are placed twodouble-ply leather "discs 35 which are of substantially the samematerial, other forms of standard piston construction may be utilized,and it is intended that theshowing in the drawing be considered asdiagrammatically illustrating these various equivalent constructions.

Carrier frame 6, Figure 3, in preferred construction is provided with apair of brackets 36 and 31 which are bored in alignment for thereception of a pivot pin 38- which extends perpendicular to piston rod29, and substantially parallel to hopper pivot pin 5. Cotter pins 39 maybe used if desired to hold pivot pin 38 from endwise displacement.Piston rod 29 is provided on its outer end with a suitable enlargementor head 46 which is crossbored to closely but rotatably fit pivot pin38. A suitable grease fitting 4| may be provided in head 40 forlubricating the latter in conventional manner. A relief vent member 42is preferably placed in cylinder 23 adjacent plug 21. The size oftheyent opening through this relief vent member is preferably /64", butits actual size depends largely upon how rapidly it is desired torelieve the suction or pressure in the gland end of the cylinder underconditions of use. 7

Mounted on carrier frame 6, Figure 1, are three brackets 43, 44, and 45,all of which are bored in alignment for latch operating shaft 46. Thisshaft may be held against endwise displacement in any conventionalmanner, for instance, by means of cotter pins 41 and 48, Figure 3.Fastened on the end of shaft 46 adjacent bracket 45 is a dependingoperating arm 49, Figure 2, which preferably has a weight 50 mountedthereon for stabilizing the assembly. Connected to the lower end ofoperating arm 49 is a lanyard 5| which extends to a point convenient forpulling by the operator when the hopper I is to be re leased. Adjacentbracket 44, Figure 3, and between brackets 43 and 44 is a cam member'52which is conventionally fastened on shaft 46 for rotation therewith, andfor operation as will be hereinafter described. Y Mounted on the upperedge of angle irons I0 and I I, Figure 3, and spaced from trunnionbearing bracket I5 is a bracket 53. This bracket, which is lower thantrunnion bearing bracket I5, is bored in alignment with a second openingin trunnion bearing bracket l5 for the reception of a pivot pin 54 whichmay be anchored inplace in conventional manner such as by means ofcotter pins 55. Pivotally mounted on pivot pin 54 is a rounded end latchmember 56 which has a. hook end 51, Figure 4, on'the lower face of itsfree end. Mounted on the side of latch member 56 is a headed stud 58which rotatably carries a roller 59 preferably'directly above latchoperat' ing shaft 46 and in contact with the upper face of cam member52. V

In order to prevent latch 56 from pivotally moving on pivot pin 54 toofar when released; a

loop member 60, Figure 3,'is passed over latch member 56 and fastenedto'angle iron Ill in conventional manner such as by welding. -This loopis sufliciently high to permit hook end 51 of latch 56 to be moved aboveand clear latch operating shaft 46 when the hopper is being unlatchedfor pivotal movement. 7 In order to facilitate free rotary movement oflatch'operating shaft 46, brackets 43 and 44 are preferably providedwith grease fittings GI and-62, and latch member 56 with grease fitting63; The operation of the mechanisrn'is as follows: Hopper I, in latchedposition,'is lowered for con- "ventional loading suoh as by fillingfrom'a supply bin spout, by shoveling, or byrunning same shovel fashionunder the material to be loaded.

'The hopper is then suitably elevated and moved to'the point orunloading, whereupon a pull-on lanyardil moves operating'arm49inclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2. This rotates latchoperating shaft 46 which in turn rotates cam 52 in contact with roller59 on latch member 56 to elevate the latch member anddis-em gage hookendlil thereof from the latch operatingshaft 46. With the latchreleased, the load in hopper I causes the latter to tilt in thedirection shown in dotted lines in Figure'2 for unloading purposes. Asthis-tilting takes place, piston assembly 30 in cylinder 23 moves" tothe le'ft'therein and compresses the air in the cylinder, thuscushioning and checking the tilting movement of hopper I in manneravoiding sharp edits which are undesirable and not only-tend to causebreakage but abnormal Wear on the assembly. It should-be noted inthis'connection that the further the hopper tilts quickly after release,the greater is the restraining force exerted by the increasing airpressure in'thecylinder assembly, which gradually relieves itself, sothat the unloading operation is handled very smoothly. During thismovement part of the air pocketed in the cylinder passes through thesmall opening in relief vent member 42, and at. the same time, some airis passed into the free end of the cylinder through relief vent hole toreduce the vacuum formed therein due to movement of the piston to theleft in the cylinder. With the hopper unloaded and in contact with theground or the like, the carrier frame Bis lowered by means of the liftassembly 1 until the hopper is returned to the solid line position shownin Figure 2 whereupon the roundedend of latch member 56, Figure 4,passes over latch operating shaft 46 and hook end 51 of the latch member56 drops down and re-engages the latch operating shaft 46 as shown.

In order to stabilize hopper I in its latched position, and guide sameduringthe latching Figures 3 and 4 when the assembly is in latchedposition. With the hopper thus returned to initial position and latchedin place, the assembly is ready once more for the repeating of itsoperating cycle.

In some cases it may be desirable to hydraulically control the snubbingor checking of hopper I and one convenient assembly for this purpose isillustrated in Figure 5. In this case, cylinder 23a is provided withtrunnions as before while cap 24a is made fluidtight and provided with apacking gland assembly 28 for the projecting end of piston rod 29a thesame as is the case with plug 21 at the other end of the cylinder.Piston rod 29a carries a suitable piston conventionally mounted in thecylinder which is filled with hydraulic fluid such as oil or glycerin.On the top of cylinder 23a, at opposite ends thereof, are mounted a pairof threaded nipples 65 and 61 each of which communicates with theinterior of the cylinder and is suitably joined to a conduit 88 which issealed in fluidtight manner to nipples 66 and 61 by means of couplingmembers 69 and I0. Mounted in conduit 68 is a fluid flow controllingvalve lI which has an operating lever 12 with lanyard 13 fastened to theend of same for operating the valve. In preferred construction, thisvalve will be of the spring closing type so that the valve will normallybe held in closed position except when "lanyard 1 I3 #is pulled I toopen the valve in varying amounts, the I more open the valve is, themore'rapidly the unlatched hopper will tilt on its pivot pini5. Toreturn-the hopper to initial latchedposition, valve ll will beheld opento facilitate return flow. of the hydraulic fluid to 'theopposite'end ofthe cylinder as the hopper is pivotally raised.

While the invention has been described in terms of returning" the hopperto initial position by dropping a carrier frame in suitable amount, thesame result maybe attained in equivalent manner by hydraulic ormechanical *elevating means, the elements of which donot form. anyspecific part "-of the present invention.

-Other modes of applying =theprinciple of our invention may be employedinsteadof those explained, change being made as regards'the-lapparatusWhere-in disclosed, provided the means stated by any of'thefollowingclaims or ithe equivalent of such stated means be employed. -Wetherefore particularly point outanddistinctly claim as our invention:

1. A pivotally mounted'hoppena carrier frame on which'said hopperismounted, a latch-for holding said hopper in loading position, means aon said carrier frame for 'releasingsaid latch and permitting saidhopper tounload, and a pivotally mounted continuousacting fluid: typecheck cylinder and piston assembly connected to said hopper and saidcarrier frame for checking and cushioning the movement of said hopperwhen said latch has been'released.

2. A pivotally mounted hoppena' carrier frame on which said hopper ismounted, a latch-for holding said hopper in loading positiomsaid latchhaving a' roller on theside thereof, a cam including means on saidcarrier frame'forrzcontacting said roller and releasing .said. latch topermit-said hopperto unload, and a pivotally mounted continuous actingfluid type check cylinder and piston assembly connected to said hopperand said carrier-frame for checking and cushioning the" movement of saidhopper when said latch has been released. 3.- An apparatus of :the:character described, which comprises the combinations-of a loadablemember, a carrier frame, means-foralpivotally mounting saidloadablemember on." said carrier frame, a pivoted and hook ended latch mountedon said loadable means, means 0n said carrier frame for engaging thehook end of said latch and holding said loadable member in loadingposition, means for releasing said latch, 21. check cylinder and pistonassembly, trunnion hearings on said loadable member, trunnions on saidcylinder, said trunnions being in axial alignment on opposite sides ofsaid cylinder and mounted for rotation on said trunnion bearingssubstantially parallel to the pivot mounting of said loadable member,said cylinder having a piston and piston rod, and means for pivotallyjoining said piston rod to said carrier frame.

4. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said latch has aprojecting member mounted on the side thereof, and said means forengaging the hook end of said latch is a shaft having a cam fixedlymounted thereon, said cam being adapted to engage said projecting memberin manner such that the hook and of said latch may be disengaged byrotating said shaft.

5. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said latch has aroller mounted for rotation on the side thereof at its hook end, saidmeans for engaging the hook end of said latch is a shaft having a camfixedly mounted thereon and adapted to contact the roller on said latch,and means forrotating said shaft, whereby said cam in contact with saidroller will disengage said latch when said shaft is suflicientlyrotated.

,6. An. apparatus of the character described, which comprises thecombination of a loadable member, a carrier frame, means for pivotallymounting said loadable member at its rear edge adjacent the bottomthereof on said carrier frame, lift means for raising and lowering saidcarrier frame, a hook ended latch, pivot means for mounting said latchon the upper portion of said loadable means, means on said carrier framefor engaging the hook end of said latch, means for releasing said latch,a check cylinder and piston assembly, fluid relief vents at each end ofsaid cylinder, trunnion bearings on said loadable member, trunnions onsaid cylinder, said trunnionsbeing in axial alignment on opposite sidesof said cylinder and mounted for rotation on said trunnion bearingssubstantially parallel to the pivot mounting of said loadable member,said cylinder having a piston and piston rod, and means for pivotallyjoining said piston rod to .said carrier frame.

- ,7. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said latch has aprojecting member mounted on the side thereof, and said means'forengaging the hook end of said latch is a shaft having a cam mountedthereon, said cam being adapted to engage said projecting member inmanner such that the hook end of said latch may be disengaged byrotating said shaft.

8. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said latch has aroller mounted on the side thereof at its hook end, said means forengaging the hook end ofsaid latch is a shaft having a cam fixedlymounted thereon and adapted to contact the roller on said latch, andmeans for rotating said shaft, whereby said cam ,in contact with saidroller will disengage said latch when said shaft is sufiicientlyrotated.

9. An apparatus of the character described,

which comprises the combination of a loadable :member, a hook endedlatch, means for pivotally 8 mounting said latch on the upper portion ofsaid loadable member with the hook end of said latch extendingtherefrom, means on said carrier frame for releasably anchoring the hookend of said latch, means for releasing the hook end of said latch, ahydraulic check cylinder assembly, fluid relief openings at each end ofsaid cylinder, a conduit joining said openings, a fluid flow controlling valve in said conduit, means for controlling the operation ofsaid valve, trunnion bearings on said loadable member, trunnions on saidhydraulic cylinder, said trunnions being in axial alignment on oppositesides of said cylinder and mounted for rotation on said trunnionbearings substantially parallel to the pivot mounting of said loadablemember, said cylinder having a piston with piston rod extendingtherethrough, and means for pivotally joining one end of said piston rodto said carrier frame.

10. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said latch has aprojecting 'member mounted on the side thereof, and said means forengaging the hook end of said latch is a shaft having a cam mountedthereon, said cam being adapted to engage said projecting member inmanner such that the hook end of said latch may be disengaged byrotating said shaft.

11. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said latch has aroller mounted on the side thereof at its hook end, said means forengaging the hook end of said latch is a shaft having a cam fixedlymounted thereon and adapted to contact the roller on said latch, andmeans for rotating said shaft, whereby said cam in contact with saidroller will disengage said latch when said shaft is sufficientlyrotated.

ROBERT L. ALLEN. CHARLES L. HARBECK.-

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,386,519 Wagener et al. Oct. 9,1945 2,388,436 Onofrio Nov. 6, 1945 2,396,287 Robb Mar. 12, 19462,426,544 Wooldridge Aug. 26, 1947

